Feeling Peckish?

“Too few people really understand a good sandwich” said the American food writer and critic James Beard. And here at the Oakeley Arms, we are inclined to agree with ol’ Mr Beard.

You may think that the humble sandwich is one of the simplest food stuffs in the world, and indeed it can be. But a good sandwich is like a little slice of heaven during a hungry lunch hour, whereas a bad sandwich leaves you wishing you hadn’t even bothered.

The idea of eating food with bread dates back thousands of years, but the sandwich as we know it today is thought to have been invented in the mid eighteenth century when John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich demanded that supper be brought to him so he didn’t have to leave his game of cards. His obedient butler brought him some beef between sliced bread so that he could eat with his hands but keep them clean and not have to bother with cumbersome cutlery. His contemporaries began to order “the same as Sandwich” and the humble buttie was born. His idea revolutionised the way we eat, and today, the idea of a sandwich can be found across the whole world.

Today, Brits are thought to consume a whopping 11.5 BILLION sandwiches a year and the industry is booming. And to celebrate this, next week is British Sandwich Week (12th-18th May), organised by the British Sandwich Association. There will be loads going on, including new recipes, tips and ideas as well as prizes and awards for the best businesses, outlets and innovations in the industry, as well as an award for the most exciting new Sandwich Designer (yes, that is an actual job!).

Find out more info at www.lovesarnies.com and if you fancy getting into the sandwich spirit, then why not join us here at the Oakeley Arms and try one of our yummy lunchtime sandwiches. Love sarnies, love lunch!

Image by lockstockb on sxc.hu